The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-11-16
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
How the Haymarket Meeting Led to vari-
Gus Tragedies.


Gus Tragedies.
The Haymarket riot occurred on May T. 1856,
and was the result of n series OF attempts made
by the anarchists to prod uce boodshed. During
the st 1 10 that occurred April -, 1885. Fielden
and Parsons were familiar figures among the
dissatisfied men, urging them to resort to arms
as n solution OF their grievances. At the street.
car strikes in July, 1Ss', and the Mccormick
strike in February, 1886, Spies and Parsons took
the initiative III melting the idle men to deeds
OF violence.
Spies was then the editor Of the Arbeiter Zei-
ti1tg, asd when not disseminating his vicious
editorials he and Parons were haranguing meet
ings OF strikers that were generally assembled
at the speakers call. All these revo utionary
attempts thus far had proved failures, and it
was not until May !, 1886, that another suitable
opportunity for sowing anarchistic principles
was afforded Spies and his contingency, for by
this time Spies was the recognized leader OF the
revolutionary movement
At this time there was u general strike among
all classes of laborers for eight hours to consti-
tute days work. 1t was the greatest strike in
the annals of Chicago and the immense num-
Der of idle men and the extent or the dissatis-
faction furnished an excellent opportunity for
intoxicating infiammatory doctrines The
archist leaders perceived this Cpl ortunity and
made the most OF it.
ON the Sd of May the strikers from McCor-
micks machine-s shops gathered ON Blue Island
avenue, near that establis hment, proclaiming
their alleged wrongs. Spies appeared in the
throng and haran ;uod the crowd in an innam-
mat ry speech. urging them to resort to arms.
Intense excitement ensued and the eRraged
strikers attacked the shops. The appearance of
the police prevented any disastrous results,
though during that day several more attempts
were made to demoish the building. Several
workmen were injured by the efforts of the po-
lice to preserve order. and this tended to aggra-
vate the prevailing discomfort
After this disturban had fairly been set in
motion Spies fed to the office OF the Arbsiter
Zeitrrg and issued the notorious Revenge
to arms |" and closed with -To arms We call
you to armsl" This circular was distributed
to have had tremendous influence in nervfng
the men for the subsequent fray at the Hay
market.
On the following day, May 4, Infatuated work.
borhood of the Mccormick shops, and were only
restrained by the presence Of the police. cir
cular, asserted 10 have been written, printed,
and circulated under the supervision of Spies
and his allies, was scattered among them.
This circular was addressed to workingmen
and announced mass-meeting to take place
on the following night at Haymarket square.
The strikers assembled early in response to
spectators. The speakers did not appear till
early o'clock, when they mounted a wagon
to the square. 1t was estimated that two
thousand people were present when Spies,
Parsons, and Fielden spoke. The two
first were surprisingly mild in their ut
terances. This is accounted for by SONS
by the presence of Mayor Harrison, who had
been urged to prohibit the meeting. When it
came 10 t1elQen Luru 10 speak ne WrOugfR lis
auditors to a high pitch OF excitement by his
inhammatory words. He advised them to
throttle and kill the law" Cspts Bonneld
ness to auell any disturbance that should take
place, considered this the proper time for
action. At the head OF seven conf
ms4SbeS s street 20
the speakers wagon. Fielden, seeing the
men approach, exclaimed; Here come the
bloodhoundsl You do your duty and III do
mir Cant w ard then the order to dis
perse peac eably" I'VE are peaceable," replied
Parsons, ami at that moment the deadly bomb
was thrown and exploded with a roar that
audible for two miles. Officer Matthias j.
Degan and anarchist named kistler
were killed outright Six more were NOR
tally injured and sixty others received injuriAo4
that incapacitsted them for duty for many
weeks Neighboring buildings were shaken to
the foundations, and for n moment the police
were driven in confusion. They recovered
themselves, however, and, after using theiEre-
volvers and batons 40 freely to fiji the air
with groans OF the wounded, succeeded in quell-
Spies, Schwab and Fischer wero arrested the
following morning, and on May IL q grand jury,
charged by Judge Rogers, found indictments
Fischer, Lingg Engel, Schwab, Neebe, Anton
Hirschberger and John APPEL. Tho two last and
schnaubelt wore released, though it is now
supposed that Schnaubelt threw the bomb The
rest were held without bail
The trial began on June 81, Judge Gary pre-
siding. The leading counsel for the prosecu-
ton was JULIUS 3 Grinnell for the defense
Captain w. p. Black. On the first day of the
trial Parsons surrendered himself. Till July
Is was consumed in impaneling a jury, and
evidence was heard till Aug IL. On this date
the attorneys began to argue the case and con-
cluded Oh the 18TH when the case was given to
the jury. AT 10 o'clock n. m, Aug. 20 1885, the
jury returned n verdict Of guilty, fixing Neebe's
punishment at fifteen years In the penitenk
tiary and sentencing tho others to be hang3S
A motion was Immediately made by the coun-
sci for the defense for new trial, but Judge
Gary refused to grast IL. They succeeded how
ever, in obtaining from Judge Scott of the Su-
preme Court supersedeas on Nov ~. The
case was then argued at great length before the
supreme Court OF Illinois. Unfairness was
charged the state in the selection Of jurors and
the seizure OF private papers that Judge Gary
admitted as valid evidence. The Supreme Court
rendered its decision on Sept IA last, sustain
ing the decision Of the lower court The next
step was to get the case before the United
States supreme Court This application was
made on the charge that tho defendants were
not accorded due process OF law, and that the
Illinois Jury law was unconstitutional. Gems.
Pryor and Butler and j Randolph Tucker ar
gued the case for the anarchi but tho court
declared the jury law to be constitutional; that
it did not have Jurisdiction in the case, thus
sustaining the decision of the Illinois Supreme
Court sentencing the seven anarchists to be
hanged on Nov IL